CHRISTMAS FOYER
StoneGable’s Christmas Foyer is merry, bright and sassy this year! There is nothing quiet or serene or “all is calm” about it! Our home is full of bright traditional colors this year with a big does of sassy and classy black! I’ve particularly loved decorating with these classic colors and fun Christmas elements this season. Welcome to the foyer! It’s a preview of what to expect throughout most of StoneGable. Come on in and take a peek…
Here’s a look at the foyer and through to the dining room. I’m standing in the living room to take this picture.
And here is a look at the foyer and through to the living room. I took this picture from the foyer.
A vintage inspired laundry basket holds some of our gift to be opened on Christmas morning!
A lit garland entwines its way up the stairs. I hope you will come back December 22nd and see my Christmas Night Tour! I’m so excited to be a part of this. Only candles and tiny lights will illuminate StoneGable!
A galvanized metal trough with a chalkboard face is filled with low candles, greens, stars, ornaments and a few pinecones!
Instead of writing on the chalkboard I used my Cricut electronic cutting machine to spell out Oh Holy Night. The letters are backed in magnetic sheeting so they stick to the galvanized chalkboard.
It’s a tradition in our home for the “kids” in the house to sit at the top of the steps and and wait till Daddy goes downstairs to see if Santa has come. Our kids must have their teeth brushed, faces washed, hair combed and beds made before they sit on the top steps.
The grown ups come down stairs and make coffee, turn on the tree lights and get out the cameras. I have years and years of pictures of my kids on these exact stair steps every Christmas morning! We take a group picture of the “kids” just before we let them down the stair.
Here’s 2013’s Christmas on the stairs picture! From bottom to top: niece Kelley holding Scamp, Christopher in the background holding Beau, Abby, Jonathan and Jacqueline. Notice the jammies? Every Christmas Eve our kids open one gift… new pajamas!
Last year the kids were at the in-laws. This year everyone is home for Christmas. So I’ll take more “Christmas on the stairs” pictures!
I just can’t help sharing a couple more pics!
This was Abby and Chris’ first married Christmas together… and Beau’s first Christmas too!
Jon steals a Christmas kiss! This year they have been married 8 years! They got married right out of college!
Thanks for walking down memory lane with me!
My foyer and main stairs holds so many fond Christmas memories!
You might want to follow me on Pinterest and see what I’m finding to pin every day HERE.
Love the family photos. Its the best part of Christmas
Indeed, lovely family photos. Enjoy the time together and have a wonderful Day. Just a couple of days to go and the world will be celebrating the greatest gift ever given to “man”. Looking forward to the ‘after’ photos. Thanks for sharing …
It’s absolutely lovely – right out of a magazine! And I’m smiling because I have exactly the same tartan ribbon, but am using it outside in my arrangements. Got mine at Costco for a steal – you?
How beautiful is this!!! LOVING your new lighter decor. Sooooo refreshing. The family pics are the best. Have a very Merry Christmas to you and yours. Love to you.
How beautiful. Your foyer tells a wonderful Christmas story of Christmas past and Christmas to come. I LOVE your tradition of kids waiting at the top of the stairs for daddy to take a peek to see if Santa has come.
We have the same tradition and we were very excited last year to add a son in law to our picture! So excited to see him with our daughters and all of the cousins piled in together awaiting so many surprises! Thank you for sharing your beautiful family with your readers.
All of your children are just beautiful. You’re very blessed. Merry Christmas to you all!
I love your colors beautiful….but the pajama party on the stairs melted me… Thanks for sharing!
Love your home! Also the kids waiting!!
Merry Christmas!
God has blessed you mightily! Love your kids pics, have a wonderful Christmas!
Absolutely gorgeous, the decor and your family and I never would have thought I would be swooning over a laundry basket! Merry Christmas to you all x
It’s all beautiful, Yvonne! Thank you for sharing your beautiful family photos. Christmas is always a time when we remember our children being small and all the precious moments. Have a Merry Christmas!
love and blessings~
Lynda @ Gates of Crystal
Our family has the same tradition. I can still see all four little ones perched at the top of the stairs. Then they would slide down on their bottoms to see what Santa brought, squealing with delight. Where has the time gone? They are special memories that I will always ponder in my heart, and I look forward to adding more this year.
Your family is beautiful. Your daughter and daughter-in- law look like twins! And that foyer! You do sassy very classy!
What a beautiful family. Precious are each one of them, I am so happy for you.
God’s blessings and abundant favor to all of you and may His joy, peace and love lead you throughout 2016.
Thank you for sharing such intimate photos.
Affectionately..Cynthia
Love the sparkle and how you decorated your foyer. The picture is wonderful. Have a very Merry Christmas with your family.
Beautiful ! You are blessed to have such a wonderful family! Merry Christmas!!!
Yvonne, your home is always so awesome! and I enjoy your blog and every post, but this post, with the smiling faces of your family, this was the best one! Stone Gable becomes real, a place where a family lives and loves and grows! As I said, I love your blog, but adding the personalization, takes it over the top! Merry Christmas from my home to yours!
Beautiful home….beautiful family……..beautiful blog !
Beautiful decor and family! Love the waiting on the stairs tradition! I have garland for my stair, but have been afraid to put it up for fear of scratching the wood work. Any concern with that – or any tips for how to avoid it? Maybe my garland is just particulary rough and wirey on the back, but it seems like it will scratch the wood. Would love to hear your thoughts on that. Thanks for your lovely blog!
Hi Carol, Our banisters are painted, so if they scratch I’ll just touch them up. How about putting felt on your banister the same color as your garland? This should work to keep your banister free from scratches.
I have thought of felt, or maybe just wrapping the wriey ends with floral tape. Thanks, and Merry Christmas!
Lovely photos. In our family we lined up by age before Dad gave the word…come down to see what Santa brought. One year my wonderfully naughty brother Paul was wearing his new watch before our official trip down the stairs. Love my family.
Smiles
Yvonne,
L o v e your red, black and white dose of Christmas Merry and Bright in your Entry Hall, dear friend!!!
Those photos of your “kids” on the stairs are priceless!!!
May your the love reflected in your lovely home be present in the faces of those gathered around your Christmas Tree!!!
Fondly,
Pat
Where’d you get the metal trough?
Hi Loreal, I think it came from Luckett’s, a vintage type shop in Leesburg VA.
I think this is a year for bright, typical Christmas colours I decorated more this year than the previous four. Your house looks very festive.
I love the tradition of the stairs and that you still carry on that tradition. Such a beautiful family. Thank you for sharing. And, I must say that I love the red and black pjs.
Have a very Merry Christmad!
Your photos are just gorgeous. I absolutely love the high contrast look of the black and white against the traditional plaids. It’s such a pop of cheer. A MERRY Christmas indeed!
Merry Christmas, Bridget!
Beautiful foyer and beautiful family! I have had the same rule in my house since my daughter was tiny. Hair brushed, face and teeth washed, bed made. Wait on the staircase until I give the all clear that Santa came. Our tradition is also one gift on Christmas Eve…new pajamas and a book. When my daughter was small it was a Christmas book as she has gotten older the genre has changed but there will always be a book under the tree for her.
Lovely welcoming home and foyer. More beautiful family….the real and most precious “ornaments”of Christmas! Merry Christmas.
SIMPLY GORGEOUS!!!!
Love the fsmily pics.
Just gorgeous, Yvonne, and a real lively and fun change from your usually subdued but equally beautiful decor! After all what has happened this year in Paris, California, etc. I think many of us “need” some happy color in our lives.
Your decorations are simply beautiful but the very best decorations of all are …. family! Merry Christmas from Ontario, Canada!
Really pretty
What a grand, warm entrance to welcome friends and family into your home. I love the way you’ve decorated the staircase!
Lovely photos, all is Merry and Bright, enjoy your happy memory making . Merry Christmas, Hugs
Your family is beautiful, and the best “decor” in your home! Lol! Have fun and Merry Christmas!
I love touring your Christmas home, Yvonne. It’s so inviting. You have a beautiful family. Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas!
Everything is just stunning Yvonne, have a wonderful Christmas with your family!
Remembering Jackie & Chris as little kids. They are now beautiful adults. So glad you all could be together this year.
Wishing you & Bob & the entire family a Blessed Christmas & a prosperous New Year.
Thanks so much Jinny! Merry Christmas to you too!
I love that tradition – and Scamp looks just like my Teddy! This year I won’t be home until after midnight on Christmas Eve, so we’re doing our Christmas pajamas on Christmas night. 🙂
Such a beautiful family photo Yvonne….and a gorgeous foyer to welcome family and friends…..Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family!….
Yvonne searching thru old post trying to find ideas for my entry, and came across this. How wonderful to have them all together. Touches my heart. Don’t you just love to look at them and imagine what the next phase of their life will be. Now the new addition will take center stage. Enjoy
Lovely! I love to look back on Christmas’s past. Conjures up so many warm memories . And we are lucky enough to have all of our children home with us this year as well. we will cherish every moment.
What a lovely foyer! So welcoming. I had such fun comparing the decorations to previous year photos and learning how you recycled some items and incorporated new. It always looks fresh and classy. My youngest son graduates from high school this year so I’m inspired to know that it’s possible to keep the children coming “home” in the future. May you and your family continue to make special family memories as you celebrate Jesus’ birth together. Thank you for sharing yourself, your faith, your family photos, and your beautiful home with us. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Ellen. Thank you!